Conflicting Friends
by Kaima
Summary: A guest in the Shire brings conflict between Pippin and Merry. No slash, I'm a firm believer in Pippin's heterosexuality.
1. A Guest In The Shire

Conflicting Friends  
  
A/N: Well.I don't own stuff, which I'm sure you could figure out on your own. Also I know that you'll figure out what's gonna happen fairly soon. I don't care. It's my story. I like it that way. Makes things a lot less confusing. I don't read confusing stories.  
  
Also..  
  
I use a song in here twice from Tolkien, it's actually a mix of the bathing song and something else.they used it on the extended edition for the first movie.  
  
One last thing.  
  
Wouldja please comment 'yay or nay' on the dialect?  
  
*  
  
Chapter One: A Guest in the Shire  
  
"You're supposed to stick it in the ground!" Merry shouted.  
  
"It is in the ground!" Pippin retorted.  
  
"Outside!"  
  
"Haven't we been through this before?" Pippin asked thoughtfully, taking his hands off the elaborately designed firework he had been handling, thus causing it to fall in the hands of Merry. Immediately following this it blew up and sent Merry flying across the ground. Pippin remained unscathed. "Oops."  
  
"Pip, I believe we have been through this before," Merry said weakly from the ground, struggling to get up.  
  
Pip nodded and, while still watching the pyrotechnic dragon dance across the sky, went to help his friend up.  
  
"More amazing every year," Merry said, taking Pippin's hand to get up.  
  
"Aye," Pip agreed. "But now I get the feeling we're supposed to be dragged off by our ears to do chores."  
  
"And that I shall hold you to," a voice came from behind them. Both of the hobbits slowly turned to see Sam Gamgee's reproachful face staring upon them. Pippin lowered his head.  
  
"Hullo Sam. Happy birthday."  
  
"Thank you Pip," he said.  
  
"You can't really make us do chores, can ye?" Merry asked.  
  
"No," Sam admitted. "But I know someone who can."  
  
Paladin Took, Pip's father, stepped up behind Sam. "Didn't I tell ye boys to be good this year?"  
  
"Aye, I believe you might've," Pippin said.  
  
"But I can't exactly recall," Merry finished.  
  
"Meriadoc Brandybuck, I promised your father on his deathbed to keep ye out o' trouble, and just look at ye! All covered in dust and dirt! A' least Pip managed to stay clean and look innocent," Paladin said, "Although I know different. Neither of you'd ever work alone."  
  
"Pap, we've been adults for a good while now," Pip objected. "I think it's our own job to keep ourselves out o' trouble."  
  
"Aye and you're doin' a sorry job o' it, so I had to step in. "'Sides, neither of ye are married yet, so I can still hold some ground over ye."  
  
"Now that has naught to do with anything!" Merry said, frowning. "Mr. Frodo, afore he left, wasn't married and he took care of himself just fine!"  
  
"Mr. Frodo was a strange lad indeed," Paladin said. "Now you two get back to the party, and do try to keep from getting into mischief."  
  
"Aye," Pip said, and with Merry, the two headed back to where everyone was eating. There was a big banner held above the table, reading, "Happy Birthday Sam," and other decorations all around. This was a big year for Sam. He was sixty.  
  
Not old for a hobbit, but not young either. It had also been ten years since the fellowship had left Rivendell, making it seem an important year for all the hobbits.  
  
Soon, everyone was drinking merrily, and someone shouted, "Speech, speech!" and the rest of the party guests followed at his insistence.  
  
"My dear hobbits," Sam began. "I come to tell you on this day that Rosie and I are once again with child!"  
  
There was wild roaring. Merry and Pip got on the table and started whistling.  
  
"Or rather should I say Rosie is with child, I would look rather funny if I was, wouldn't you think? Besides this, it is also my birthday, which you have obviously realized, or you would not be here."  
  
There was a general murmur of agreement,  
  
"On this day I would also like to welcome a new addition to the Shire. She comes from Bree actually, as she was a waitress there many a year. But she returns now to join her kinfolk, may I present miss Diamond of Long Cleeve!"  
  
There was applause, for hobbits living outside of the Shire were shunned when living outside its borders, but when they returned they were welcomed with enthusiasm.  
  
Diamond timidly walked up on stage next to Sam. She was tall for a hobbit, about four feet tall, and with distinctively less hairy feet. The hair she did have was a light auburn, and straight as could be. This shocked many, for hobbits had curly hair, there were almost none with straight hair. Merry and Pippin bounded up on stage, eager for attention.  
  
"Well hello miss Diamond," said Merry. "I'm Merry and the fool of a Took to my left is Pippin. We're the good people of this Shire - never go on any adventures, never do anything unexpected, and certainly don't pull pranks."  
  
"Aye," said Pippin. "A sad day t'would be if we pulled a prank."  
  
"We're quite sober," Merry said with a stern look. "And would like to welcome you to this nice, boring, normal, place."  
  
"Well honestly," said Diamond, her apparent shyness disappearing. "You must be dreadfully boring."  
  
This caused the Shire to go into hysterics; finally, someone outwit the two pranksters.  
  
Pip looked to Merry, and nodded. The two lifted the girl up on their shoulders. "Ladies and gentlemen," Merry said, "This is the girl who will lead mine and Pip's legacy!"  
  
There was cheering, and a scattered, "No more.we need no more Merry and Pippin's, they're quite enough on their own."  
  
Diamond laughed, and stood up on their shoulders. "I admire these hobbits, they know a good time," she said, and hopped down. "We shall meet again, yes?"  
  
"Aye, m'lady," said Merry with a slight bow, not really knowing why he did it. Diamond projected a sort of aura, a royalty that could not be matched by the likes of Aragorn or Arwen, even.  
  
Sam shooed the three off stage and continued speaking. "Well I'm sure I'm only keeping you from eating, which you certainly do not appreciate.so I shall end now, may you have a good feast!"  
  
The crowd banged their mugs on the table and then continued eating.  
  
Merry and Pippin, however, decided to go arouse more mischief.  
  
They headed for the fireworks again, but found someone had beaten them to the idea.  
  
"Well Miss Diamond," said Merry. "What be ye doin' here?"  
  
"Obviously the same thing ye had in mind," she said with a toss of her hair. She walked to Merry and looked him up and down. Then she did the same to Pippin. "Pip, you're smaller, so climb on my shoulders."  
  
"She called me Pip!" Pippin objected. "I thought you were only allowed to do that, Merry!"  
  
"So did I," Merry said, "But none the matter."  
  
"Aye, that's what I thought," said Diamond. "Pip, climb on my shoulders."  
  
"Why don't you just climb on Merry's shoulders?"  
  
"He'd look up my dress, the clever little devil."  
  
Pip looked appraisingly at Merry. "Aye, she's probably right," Merry admitted.  
  
Pippin shook his head and climbed on Diamond's shoulders. "Now what?"  
  
"Stick your head through the top of the tent so just it's poking out."  
  
Pippin did so.  
  
"All right, hold this and point it towards the dining tables. Ready? One.two."  
  
Suddenly Pip and the tent took off straight for the tables. He dove headlong in to heaping plates of salted pork, various desserts, and then ended with his head ramming into an ale barrel.  
  
"This is not my idea of fun," he said wearily from inside the barrel.  
  
"Nor is it mine," said Paladin's voice. Pip groaned.  
  
"It wasn't my idea! I swear! Twas Diamond's!"  
  
"Sure," said Paladin, and Pip was pulled out of the barrel. He looked down at himself, covered in food from head to toe.  
  
"I'm in a sorry state," Pip said miserably.  
  
"PIP! Are you okay?" Merry came running over to him. "My goodness I was worried - have you broken anything?"  
  
"Does my pride count?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"Then no."  
  
Diamond ran over, laughing. "Dear, dear Pippin, I told you that was a bad idea."  
  
"WHAT? You never - "  
  
"Silly, silly Pip," she said, patting his cheek fondly, then prancing off elsewhere.  
  
Pippin looked to Merry with ale still streaming down his face. "Merry," he said, "I think we've met our match." 


	2. A Discontented Merry

Chapter Two: A Discontented Merry  
  
"We've got to do something about this girl," Merry said, pacing the floor of the Took hobbit-hole later that night. "We cannot be treated like this."  
  
"It took me an hour to get the honey on the bread out of my hair," Pip said mournfully. "I don't like it."  
  
Merry came over and sat by his friend. "Any ideas, Pip?"  
  
"No, none really."  
  
"She seemed like such a nice girl too," Merry said sorrowfully.  
  
"Aye, I thought she'd help us," said Pip, "Not get us into trouble and then run off."  
  
"I never did that to you," said Merry. "And you never did that to me. It's just not done. We may have accidentally got hurt a few times, but not like this."  
  
"My head hurts," Pip complained. "I need to sleep."  
  
"All right," Merry said, "We'll figure this out in the morning." He climbed into his bed. "Goodnight Pip. Sleep well."  
  
Pip climbed into his bed. "Goodnight Merry."  
  
*  
  
The sun rose bright the next morning, but the two hobbits were still asleep and did not see it. They did not wake until almost noon, and even then it was not to their enjoyment.  
  
Diamond of Long Cleeve was in the Took house. She had come over and was hovering anxiously above Pip's head, with a wet rag. Carefully and softly she lay it there on the bruise, and then sat by the bed to wait, hugging her knees and hoping for Pip's soon awakening.  
  
Merry awoke first. He stumbled out of bed and rubbed his eyes. "When he saw Diamond, he jumped.  
  
"Wha' are ye doin' in our house? Did Paladin let you in?"  
  
"Aye," said Diamond softly, and she looked up to Pip. She rubbed the cloth a little, for the bruise seemed to be hot to the touch, and she very much wanted to help. "I'm really quite sorry about last night."  
  
"As ye should be!" exclaimed Merry. "Look a' our poor Pip!"  
  
"Shh." Diamond said. "You'll wake him. He needs rest."  
  
"O' course he does, he won't get none o' that wit' you around here!"  
  
"I've doctored many Men when in Bree, please let me help him," Diamond stood up and pushed back Pip's curls, looking over his troubled face as he slept. "I am a physician as well. Waitresses at inns and taverns need these skills for when fights break out, or when one drinks too much. Now let me explain about last night."  
  
Merry sat on his bed. "I'm listening."  
  
"Last night.well.Sam knows me well, he journeys to Bree on occasion, for he is a more adventuresome hobbit than most. He knew I'd be quite shy at his party and he wanted me to have some fun. I had never drunk ale before. I know it's odd, a waitress at a tavern never drinking, but.I've always been so busy working. You can imagine. Well he got me drunk.and that was how I was. I'm so terribly sorry," she said to Merry, and gently placed her hand over Pippin's heart. "I don't think he's too terribly injured.." 


	3. Welcome and Unwelcome Feelings

Chapter Three: Welcome and Unwelcome Feelings  
  
Pippin had been dreaming, dreaming about that mysterious Diamond. Her hair still shone in his mind, and his dreams saw her. He did not like it. His mind knew that Diamond had hurt him terribly. But something else stayed with him about her.  
  
Why did that song come to mind? In the depths of his mind Pippin pondered this. He remembered.he and Merry had sung that song before they left for their quest. But what did that have to do with Diamond?  
  
Voices came from the darkness.  
  
"He will not forgive you, o' course, he's on my side!"  
  
"I said I was sorry, I believe he'll accept that!"  
  
"How long have you known him? One night? I've known him much longer, thank you?"  
  
"Well he seemed like a decent hobbit to me!"  
  
"Maybe decency involves not shooting people off with firecrackers into ale barrels!"  
  
"I will not bicker with you any more. I will tend to Pip until he awakens."  
  
"Fine. Tell him when he wakes I went to OUR place. He'll know."  
  
There was the sound of a door shutting, then silence. Pippin felt his hair being pushed out of his face, and a soothing coolness swept over him. He kept his eyes shut, not willing himself to face Diamond yet. He wanted to see if he could gather more about her.  
  
"Pip, your friend is ever watchful," Diamond said softly, as if only to herself, "But he looks no deeper than your physical ailments. There is more to you than meets the eye, I think."  
  
Pippin blearily opened his eyes. "Why Diamond," he said, "Fancy seeing you here."  
  
"I would like to apologize Pip. Last night was uncalled for."  
  
"Many lady hobbits have told me that first thing in the morning, and I didn't believe them either," Pip said with a smile, struggling to rise. "I'll be fine."  
  
"Lay back down," she said, "You're likely to faint with such a knot as that."  
  
"Perhaps if I did, you would take care of me more?"  
  
"No, because that wouldn't have been my fault," she said with a smile.  
  
"Darn the bad luck," Pip said, leaning back. "I'm sorry bout Merry.he's a bit protective."  
  
"Of course," Diamond said. "Many friends are like that."  
  
"Right.where is the little guy anyway?"  
  
"He said he went to what he called 'our place' and wanted you to meet him there as soon as you woke. We were kind of having a heated discussion.and.well he left in a huff."  
  
"Perfectly all right," Pip said. "We do that all the time. Would ye like to come with me?"  
  
"I don't think he'd like that - "  
  
"Nonsense. He'll get over it. It's just Merry," Pippin rose and felt decidedly better. "He's been my best friend for forever - he'll understand."  
  
"If you say so." Diamond said uneasily. "Are you sure you're better?"  
  
"I'm fine," Pip assured her. "Come on, let's go."  
  
The two left the bedroom and, bidding a farewell to Paladin, headed out into the midday sunshine that was so common in the Shire.  
  
" So how'd ye get that hair?" asked Pippin. "I've never seen a hobbit with straight hair before."  
  
"I.well." Diamond blushed. "You mustn't tell a soul."  
  
"I am the epitome of secrecy," Pip said, puffing himself up a bit.  
  
"I'm half-human," she whispered.  
  
Pip stopped. "What?"  
  
"You heard me," Diamond said, and Pip thought he saw a tear come to her eye.  
  
"I'm sorry - meanin' no offense, m'lady," he said, pulling Diamond over underneath a tree where they could sit. "I didn't mean to sound harsh."  
  
"That's fine, I'm just.kind of sensitive. My mother.my real mother.was human. "But my father's wife claimed me, and I never really met my biological mother. On every family tree, it shows my hobbit mother being my real one."  
  
"Why.that's so peculiar," said Pippin. "It gives you a special charm, I think."  
  
Diamond smiled slightly. "Merry's probably getting anxious."  
  
"I can guarantee it," said Pippin. "Trust me, I won't tell a soul."  
  
The two continued down the road, enjoying each other's company, until they came to Farmer Maggot's many rows of plants. "We'll take the shortcut," said Pip. "It comes to a large batch of mushrooms."  
  
They began walking through the tall plants, not able to see above them. Pip confidently knew where he was going, but Diamond found herself frequently losing her sense of direction amongst the confusion. Soon Pip heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Aye you! Stealing my cabbage and corn again, eh? I'll get you this time!"  
  
Pip looked quickly to Diamond. "I hope those long legs of yours can run!" he said, putting emphasis on the last word. The two sped through the cornstalks, darting different directions in hopes that Maggot would lose their trail. Soon they heard barking, meaning Farmer Maggot had unleashed his vicious dogs.  
  
"Hear that howling?" Pip yelled back to Diamond.  
  
"Aye!"  
  
"That means run faster!"  
  
They finally came to the drop-off point where the crops ended. Pip looked back to Diamond. "This may hurt, but you can hope you land on the moss!"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"JUMP!"  
  
The two jumped off the small cliff and thankfully landed on the moss. Pip was calm and collected; he had done this many times before. Diamond on the other hand, was quite frazzled.  
  
"Do you do this every day?"  
  
"When we're not doing worse," Pip shrugged. "Come on, we're not far now, and Maggot doesn't come down here.or do you need some time to catch your breath?"  
  
"No, no, I'm fine," she said, and rose, picking twigs out of her shining hair.  
  
"You're too pretty to be goin' off and doin' things like this, ye know?" Pip said, before he had realized what he was doing. He winced. "That was quite obvious, wasn't it?"  
  
"A tad bit. You'll get better."  
  
They walked through the fields till they came to a decent sized tree. It was not tall, nor short, but perfectly sized to cover you from the sun on hot summer days, and to shield you from the snow on cold winter nights.  
  
Merry was sitting under the tree, snoring softly. Pip smiled at the sight of his friend. "See? He's done and forgot it, and drifted off to sleep in his contentment."  
  
"I have the feeling that may not be the case," Diamond said cautiously.  
  
Pip walked up and shook Merry's shoulder. "Merry, I'm here!"  
  
Merry shivered a bit and opened his eyes. "Pip, I'm glad you made it. We need to talk."  
  
"Of course," Pip said. "What about?"  
  
"That Diamond girl, she was saying the strangest things this morning - "  
  
"Why Merry, she's - " Pip turned to look for her, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Obviously.not here."  
  
Merry looked at Pippin oddly. "Pip my friend, that blow to the head must have slowed your mind. That or have you already been into the weed this morning?"  
  
"I haven't had any weed since last night, thank you!" Pip said, injured.  
  
"I've always told you that you smoke too much," Merry said with a grin. "Anyway, she's got to go. She's tryin' to seduce ye, Pip. I see it. She's playin' games with ye. We're not the marryin' kind. We're supposed to go off havin' adventures, not settlin' down. Ye see what I'm saying? That's why she keeps changin'."  
  
"Are ye sure?" Pip asked. "She seems quite nice, once you get her sober an' all."  
  
"You knew about what she said when she gets drunk?"  
  
"We talked about it idly on the way.I mean.when I woke up this mornin'."  
  
"Aye," Merry said suspiciously. "Anyway, there's somethin' off about her."  
  
"Well that's obvious - she's half-human!" Pip clasped his hand over his mouth. "Please say I didn't just say that," he moaned under his breath.  
  
"You've got feelings for the lass, doncha? And even bein' half-human? Pip, there's something wrong with ye!" Merry put his hand on his shoulder. "Pip, ye can't do this to me!"  
  
"I'm sorry Merry!" Pip said, in an outburst. "I'm sorry. She's nicer to me than the other ladies. She's calmer, less high-strung."  
  
"Pip," Merry said pointedly. "You are not a calm person. You are high- strung."  
  
"That's why I need someone who's like 'er!" Pip objected. "Merry, I have somethin' goin' for me now, are ye tryin' to take it from me?"  
  
"Pip," Merry said, and Pippin almost thought he saw a tear in his eye, "I have somethin' for me. And she's tryin' to take it from me."  
  
At this, Pippin's eyes clouded over. "Merry, you an' me.we'll always be best friends. No lass would ever change that."  
  
Merry's head fell. "I know. But I'm afraid. I've lost Frodo - granted we weren't as close as you an' I, but he's still gone. And Sam - Sam never goes off with us anymore, he's always with Rosie. Would ye do that to me, Pip?"  
  
"Never," Pippin assured him. "You always come first, Merry. Remember, when Gandalf took me and sent me to Minas Tirith with him, and you had to stay? I was afraid then.because you weren't with me. If you weren't with me at any time, I think I'd be afraid. That's why we've gotta stick together."  
  
"Aye," said Merry. "I'm glad."  
  
"Now," said Pippin in a business-like tone, "Would you like to go steal some of Farmer Maggot's crop? I'm sure if I did that with Diamond she couldn't keep up."  
  
Merry's eyes twinkled. "No, Pip. I actually think I would like to have another nap, or perhaps a meal. I want you to go spend some time with Diamond."  
  
"Do you really, Merry, or are you just saying that?"  
  
"I really do."  
  
Pip's eyes sparkled. "I'm off, then, wish me luck!" 


	4. Winning The Girl

Chapter Four: Winning the Girl  
  
Pip raced to make it back to find Diamond. He ran back to the drop-off, climbed up, raced through Farmer Maggot's crops, and headed to Bag End, where Sam had been living since Frodo left. He banged on the door.  
  
"Sam!" he shouted. "Open up!"  
  
Sam answered the door quickly. "Pip, what bring ye here this fine day?"  
  
"Where's Diamond?"  
  
"She came back here in a right mess, cryin' and such. Said she was headed to Long Cleeve - all of her relatives lives there."  
  
"Long Cleeve.Long Cleeve.Sam, where's that? I've got to find her!"  
  
Sam looked surprised, but said nothing of it. "It's about a day from here. North."  
  
"Thanks Sam - I appreciate it, really must be running now - "  
  
And with that he left a confused Sam on his doorstep.  
  
Pippin was tall for a hobbit - thus he had longer legs than your average hobbit. He could outrun anyone, any day, excepting Merry. This helped him greatly on his journey to Long Cleeve. The sky began to darken on his journey, but the starts shone and lit his way. Late that night he arrived at an old wooden sign reading 'Long Cleeve' in flowing letters.  
  
He came to a hobbit-hole with the mailbox reading "Hildigar, Mirabella, and Diamond of Long Cleeve."  
  
"Must be the place," he said under his breath, and with a great fear of how he would be accepted, knocked lightly on the door.  
  
An older hobbit with slightly graying hair but a face of great youth opened the door. "My dear sir, I'm terribly sorry, I don't mean to bother you at such an hour, but I'm here about your daughter. She was visiting Sam Gamgee and I was just beginning to get acquainted with her, and then she ran off," Pippin said in one breath.  
  
"Well you certainly didn't do anything inappropriate, did you?" the hobbit asked with a fatherly nature.  
  
"No I swear, sir, I didn't. She helped me get better after I got my head injured," he conveniently forgot to tell him how his head had been injured, "And I wanted to thank her one more time."  
  
"She's in her room," said the hobbit. "I'm her father Hildigar. Come. I'll show you to her."  
  
He led Pippin through the nicely decorated hobbit-hole to a room in the back. "She's in here," he said. "I'll let you deal with her.she's in a peculiar mood."  
  
Pippin knocked softly, and entered. "Diamond?" he said hesitantly.  
  
"What more do you want from me?" Diamond asked. Pippin could not see her face; she was turned around and hunched over.  
  
"Diamond, if I did anything to offend, believe me I'm sorry," he said, and we went to sit next to her.  
  
"I do not need to speak with you."  
  
"Yes you do," Pippin said, and he touched her soft hair. "I really would like to get to know you better, Diamond."  
  
"Then you shouldn't run off telling my secrets to the first person you see! Especially him!" she said, an almost loathsome note to her voice.  
  
"Merry understands now. And truly, I did not mean to tell him. I swear. And he's a good hobbit - he won't tell. He's my friend, and he would be your friend too."  
  
Diamond looked up, and Pippin pushed her hair out of her tear-stained face. "I don't think he would."  
  
"Well.if you won't believe me.then thank you for doctoring me." Pippin stood up. "I would love to become friends with you, and possibly even more than that, but you've got to try."  
  
Diamond stood up next to him. "Wait.we can try. Because.because I would like that too."  
  
Pippin softly kissed her forehead. "There's a good girl. What's to say we head back to my part of the Shire?"  
  
"What - at this hour?"  
  
"Why certainly - the good part of living there is living there when the taverns are bouncing, and we're all singing. Merry and I have a good ol' time for that."  
  
"I certainly don't think I should be drinking," Diamond said with a tiny smile.  
  
"No need to," said Pippin. "I'll do enough for both of us - but my demeanor doesn't change much, so I think you're safe."  
  
"I won't be delving headfirst into ale barrels at any rate, then?" Diamond asked, her eyes twinkling.  
  
"That would be the farthest thing from my mind," Pippin assured her.  
  
"But it takes almost a day to get back.doesn't it?"  
  
"Not really," Pip said. "It took me about two hours. Sam told me a day, but he's a rather slow hobbit. I'm the fastest there is, 'cepting Merry o' course."  
  
"I'm not that fast," Diamond admitted.  
  
"With those long legs, you can hold your own," Pip said. "Come. We must hurry. They'll be expectin' me at the Green Dragon."  
  
"Right," Diamond said, and she led Pippin out of the house, stopping only to say goodbye to her father and mother. 


	5. Back In Time For The Festivities

Chapter Five: Back In Time For The Festivities  
  
Upon their exit, the two raced for Hobbiton. Indeed, they made it there just in time for the best part of a day in the life of a hobbit.  
  
"Merry!" Pip shouted upon their entrance to the Green Dragon. "Meet Diamond. You may know her, but I assure you she's completely different now."  
  
Merry smiled at her. "Charmed."  
  
Diamond curtsied and smiled her small smile. Pip put his arm around her shoulder. "I need a mug o' ale right away!"  
  
One was immediately brought. Pip lifted Diamond on his shoulders, and jumped on the table with Merry. He linked arms with Merry, and they danced around the table.  
  
And they, all three of them, sang.  
  
"Hey ho, to the bottle I go To heal my heart and drown my woe Rain may fall and wind may blow But there still be.many miles to go Sweet is the sound of the pouring rain And the stream the runs from hill to plain Better than rain or rippling brook."  
  
"Is a mug of beer inside this Took!" Pippin shouted, and everyone cheered.  
  
"You think you can live with this, Merry?" Pip said amid the noise.  
  
"Pip, I believe I could grow to like it," Merry smiled.  
  
"How bout you, Diamond?"  
  
"I'm just fine up here, thank you," Diamond said, looking down at him.  
  
Pippin smiled and, his life back in order, drank to his friends, old and new, in hopes of whatever was supposed to happen should happen, and should friends become more than friends, that they do so to the will of the other friends. He was indeed a content hobbit. 


End file.
